nethack - tnnt - attempt six
Currently doing attempt number six of TNNT 2023.
Currently XL12, as the game materialized a wraith while the Adventurer was traversing the Oracle level.
Current strategy is "slow is fast." Just moving one Adventurer move per second or so. Also never going to a dungeon level more than the Adventurer's current XL.
Also continuing the recursive pattern of, each time a higher Adventurer XL is achieved, then recursively going back to LVL1, then back down to the deepest level of the gnome mines (Luckstone level, LVL11, is the deepest for this session). Then back up to LVL1, before going to (XL-1 || XL) of the regular dungeon, and back, over and over as cycles, until the Adventurer gains another XL. etc etc etc.
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EDIT 2023-11-21 In the time since my Adventurer achieved XL12, did two full dungeon traversals of LVL1 to Adventurer's XL, and back up. In the 2nd traversal, encountered a succubus, so was able to get to XL13 from #chat with them, and a lovely encounter.
Also was able to find a potion of raise level in a shop. Purchased it. Tested if was a cursed potion at an altar. It wasn't. So quaffed to become XL14.
Now with my Adventurer at XL14, can begin the Quest. If the increased difficulty of TNNT2023 nethack Sokoban is a clue, I may want to not try to engage the Quest Nemesis until the Adventurer is two or three XL higher than XL14, with the assumption that increased difficulty during the Quest would be like the increased difficulty of Sokoban.
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EDIT 2023-11-22 Did a session during lunchtime. From LVL1 went down the regular mines to LVL14, which was the Adventurer's current XL. During the descent, dispatched ants in a hive, and became XL15. Then encountered a wraith shortly after, dispatched it and consumed the corpse to become XL16.
Have not found the Quest entrance yet.
Played after work for a few hours. Now have found the Quest entrance, and was told I can begin the quest. Quest entrance was on LVL16. Have also found a pickaxe (finally!).
TNNT awarded Warrior at XL16, when in my debian stable nethack, a Valkyrie Warrior is awarded at XL14. Whee! TNNT seems consistently "more difficult + less generous."
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EDIT 2023-11-23 Pre-Thanksgiving meal game play session. Now at XL18. Traversed the 1st two levels of the Quest, then went back to the normal dungeon and did the usual recursive traversals of gnome mines and regular dungeon to LVL(XL-1 || XL). Haven't identified a wand of cold yet, so delaying going further into the Quest levels until I have an uncursed wand of cold to use against the quest nemesis.
EDIT 2023-11-24 Still at XL18. Two full traversals, and no wraiths or succubi to interact with and level up. Now trying to cautiously go LVL(XL+1 || XL+2), otherwise I may run out of time to play using the LVL(XL-1 || XL), as there are thirty levels, and without a way to increase XL by two or three every day, it's unlikely will I get to XL30 before November ends.
So, at this moment, AC0 armor makes me want to not finish the Quest, as the nemesis is likely to prevail until I can find a wand of cold and/or get the Adventurer's armor to -5 or such. I feel I have to take the increased risk of descending to LVL's beyond the Adventurer's XL.
...There are only six days remaining for TNNT 2023.
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https://tnnt.org/player/mrflash818.